Backup folder settings from old version of windows 10

LesFerch said:

I just did the following:
- Installed Windows 10 1809 in a VM
- Set several folders to views that differed from the defaults. I changed Documents, Music, Pictures, Videos, Downloads, and a few generic folders, such as C:\
- Saved a backup using the batch file.
- Tested the restore on 1809 (it worked fine).
- Updated to Windows 10 1909

After the update, all of the views were retained except for Downloads, which reverted back to Microsoft's default view. This is not unexpected, as I've seen many posts complaining about the same thing.

The interesting thing is that running the restore did not restore the view for Downloads. Not sure why. Still investigating...

In your case, if I understand correctly, ALL folder views reverted to Windows defaults after the update. I guess that's related to the large number of saved views, but I can't be sure. Have you checked your number of saved views using the following Powershell command?

Code:

((Get-ItemProperty "HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\BagMRU").Nodeslots).count

You know its been a while to the point where i don't know if all folders are actually affected and not just the downloads one at this point because mostly I let the folder just choose what it was in the end and my biggest peeve was it was always the downloads folder that changed (my most used folder). Ok as an example I made a new recording folder then a folder in that one. It originally showed details but since i guess i last saved a picture in there, because it was the only actual file it changes to large icons. I mean i guess i could try again tomorrow when i make another backup in case something goes wrong again, do the update and see if the test folder stays the same as it was in 1809. But if Downloads ALWAYS reverts then why does it do that? Because if it going to do that every update that is going to be really annoying.

MajorFoley said:

You know its been a while to the point where i don't know if all folders are actually affected and not just the downloads one at this point because mostly I let the folder just choose what it was in the end and my biggest peeve was it was always the downloads folder that changed (my most used folder). Ok as an example I made a new recording folder then a folder in that one. It originally showed details but since i guess i last saved a picture in there, because it was the only actual file it changes to large icons. I mean i guess i could try again tomorrow when i make another backup in case something goes wrong again, do the update and see if the test folder stays the same as it was in 1809. But if Downloads ALWAYS reverts then why does it do that? Because if it going to do that every update that is going to be really annoying.

I'm trying an update from 1909 to 20H2 right now to see if that also affects the Downloads folder view. I'll let you know when it's done. If you set a global view with my WinSetView script, that should be unaffected by any upgrade, but I'll test that to be sure. The current version of the script only lets you set a global view. I hope to do an update that will let you set separate views for each folder type that will be saved as defaults in the FolderTypes key. That should allow for different types of views that will stick through any update as well. Which reminds me... I did another test of the 1809 to 1909 update with each type of folder view saved to Streams/Defaults (using the "Apply to folders" button) and they all stuck through the update except the Downloads folder.

Will get back with any further findings. Be sure to run that Powershell command to check your saved views total.

The update from 1909 to 20H2 was fine. The Downloads folder kept my custom view. It appears the Downloads folder view issue was specific to the 1809 to 1909 update. With that update, it behaves like the GUID for Downloads changed, but I checked and the GUID was unchanged. Maybe the reason has been documented somewhere, but I couldn't find it.

LesFerch said:

The update from 1909 to 20H2 was fine. The Downloads folder kept my custom view. It appears the Downloads folder view issue was specific to the 1809 to 1909 update. With that update, it behaves like the GUID for Downloads changed, but I checked and the GUID was unchanged. Maybe the reason has been documented somewhere, but I couldn't find it.

Correction: The GUID did change. I was looking at the wrong registry dump when I said they were unchanged. In fact, in build 1809, the Downloads folder is a generic folder which is GUID {5c4f28b5-f869-4e84-8e60-f11db97c5cc7}. Starting with build 1903, Downloads got its own GUID of {885a186e-a440-4ada-812b-db871b942259}. That's why it reverted to the default view after the update and why restoring a backup of the folder views from build 1809, after updating to 1903 or higher, won't work for the Downloads folder. There is no "bug", as reported in many articles, just a decision to make Downloads a unique folder type with defaults that differ from a generic folder. Microsoft probably shouldn't have made group by date the default for Downloads, but there it is.

LesFerch said:

I'm trying an update from 1909 to 20H2 right now to see if that also affects the Downloads folder view. I'll let you know when it's done. If you set a global view with my WinSetView script, that should be unaffected by any upgrade, but I'll test that to be sure. The current version of the script only lets you set a global view. I hope to do an update that will let you set separate views for each folder type that will be saved as defaults in the FolderTypes key. That should allow for different types of views that will stick through any update as well. Which reminds me... I did another test of the 1809 to 1909 update with each type of folder view saved to Streams/Defaults (using the "Apply to folders" button) and they all stuck through the update except the Downloads folder.

Will get back with any further findings. Be sure to run that Powershell command to check your saved views total.

Apparently i have 4704 so not quite capped.

LesFerch said:

The update from 1909 to 20H2 was fine. The Downloads folder kept my custom view. It appears the Downloads folder view issue was specific to the 1809 to 1909 update. With that update, it behaves like the GUID for Downloads changed, but I checked and the GUID was unchanged. Maybe the reason has been documented somewhere, but I couldn't find it.

Well i want to get to 20H2 anyway mostly because of the band-aid fix for mixed refresh rate monitors since im using one 144 and one 60 and it really sucked playing videos when hardware acceleration was turned on.

LesFerch said:

Correction: The GUID did change. I was looking at the wrong registry dump when I said they were unchanged. In fact, in build 1809, the Downloads folder is a generic folder which is GUID {5c4f28b5-f869-4e84-8e60-f11db97c5cc7}. Starting with build 1903, Downloads got its own GUID of {885a186e-a440-4ada-812b-db871b942259}. That's why it reverted to the default view after the update and why restoring a backup of the folder views from build 1809, after updating to 1903 or higher, won't work for the Downloads folder. There is no "bug", as reported in many articles, just a decision to make Downloads a unique folder type with defaults that differ from a generic folder. Microsoft probably shouldn't have made group by date the default for Downloads, but there it is.

Ok so best way to resolve this stupid thing that i could have done is make a backup using Brinks BAT file like i normally do. Update to 1909 for the rest of my folders(because the update is taking me straight there skipping 1903). Restore. Set my downloads folder settings to the way i want them, THEN run the BAT backup again just in case it does change by itself but it shouldnt and should be fine when i run the next update that right?

Yup, sounds good.

LesFerch said:

Yup, sounds good.

Well it's 5 am now so I'll do it when I wake up and see where we go.

- - - Updated - - -

Sigh getting tired of this crap. Just did the update to 1909, as expected nearly every folder changed... And Brinks BAT to backup and restore folder settings didn't work AT ALL. Everything is literally the same as it was when it was just updated and its beginning to frustrate me to be honest. I'm reverting back to 1809 again.

Sorry to hear that. I don't think it's practical to stay on 1809 and it seems very unlikely we'll find a way to preserve your Explorer views, so I recommend biting the bullet - upgrade and reset views manually. I'd take the opportunity to set as many views as defaults as possible (using the "Apply to folders" button). The more individually set views you have, the more opportunity for heartache.

LesFerch said:

Sorry to hear that. I don't think it's practical to stay on 1809 and it seems very unlikely we'll find a way to preserve your Explorer views, so I recommend biting the bullet - upgrade and reset views manually. I'd take the opportunity to set as many views as defaults as possible (using the "Apply to folders" button). The more individually set views you have, the more opportunity for heartache.

Would rather stay on old version tbh, sigh going to ask on Brinks thread again but thank you for trying Unless you want to screen share help or find another things that could be going wrong.

MajorFoley said:

Would rather stay on old version tbh, sigh going to ask on Brinks thread again but thank you for trying Unless you want to screen share help or find another things that could be going wrong.

There's nothing to be done in regards to the folder view backup and restore script. It's not at fault. In fact, it makes no difference if you run the script. If you look at the registry after updating to 1909, but before opening any folders, you should see that everything is exactly as it was on 1809. At least that's what I observed. However, once I opened the Downloads folder, the change in GUID caused numerous registry changes. It should have only affected the views for Downloads, but in your case, it whacks a whole lot more. Don't know why, but I'm sure your not alone. Since you are getting close to the 5000 view default limit, I think it's worth trying to increase that limit, but I'll admit it's a longshot. I really can't think of anything else to try.

FWIW, I recommend avoiding setting a lot of custom folder views in Windows. If you look at the way the data is stored in the registry using incremental values, it doesn't give one confidence that the views are set in stone. I always have my machine in a state where I can completely reinstall Windows at any time and not care at all about losing anything. I guess that comes from using my own machine as a test bed before the days of VMs.